Tattva

Bhagavad-Geeta, seed scripture for mankind, is the only scripture which is noncontrovercial till date and this has been the main source of real and totally accomplished spiritual knowledge recognized by entire world. This is celestial song sung by Sri Krishn to elevate entire mankind from bondage of mortal worldly affairs and to traverse on the path of spiritualism to get liberated from pathetic cycle of birth and death. The central and key thought in this scripture is to know the real concept of “Karm” i.e. “Ordained Action” and to execute the same for total emancipations. Read the rest of this entry »

This is the final article in the Bhagavad Gita series.

We have seen that the Gita sets out a system of practices, yogas, for bringing us into union with Brahman. And when those practices work, as they did in the case of Arjun, then comes the mystic vision. In the eleventh chapter Krishna gives him “divine sight” so he can see Krishna’s cosmic form. Arjun sees the whole universe there in front of him, all around him, with the radiance of a thousand suns – all creation coming and going to Krishna. Read the rest of this entry »

A reader of Tattva wrote to me: “As part of Sanatana Dharma, our duty as human-kind entails that we become DIVINE in our metamorphosis, constitution, lifestyle, and composition. Divinity and divine spiritual thoughts bring us firstly peace, secondly love, and thirdly compassion: the three most significant qualities we need to understand our own kind and our own Atman.” One suggested strategy for attaining that metamorphosis is to set your feet on the following seven steps to divinity. Read the rest of this entry »

Introduction
Only the person who is utterly detached and utterly dedicated, Mahatma Gandhi said, is free to enjoy life. Asked to sum up his life ‘in twenty-five words or less,” he replied, “I can do it in three! And quoted the Isha Upanishad: “Renounce and enjoy.” The person who is compulsively attached to the results of action cannot really enjoy what he does; he gets downcast when things do not work out and clings more desperately when they do.

When Arjun asks “What are the characteristics of those who have gone beyond the gunas” in Verse 21 of the Chapter IV, we expect a list of virtues. Instead Krishna delivers a surprise: Established within themselves, they are equal in pleasure and pain, praise and blame, kindness and unkindness. Clay, a rock, and gold are the same to them. Alike in honour and dishonour, alike to friend and foe, they have given up every selfish pursuit. Such are those who have gone beyond the gunas.  IV 24 & 25 Read the rest of this entry »

Creator and Creation
“My nature is the womb of all creation. The birth and dissolution of the cosmos itself take place in me. There is nothing that exists separate from me, Arjuna. The entire universe is suspended from me as my necklace of jewels.” (VII: 6-7)

Who created this world? The sun, the stars, the clouds, the cycles of the tides and the seasons, the laws by which these function? Who provided for the needs of every creature? The world is a furnished house meant to be enjoyed by all. All beings are equipped for survival. How can one account for this objective creation? Who authorized this intelligent, meaningful creation? Read the rest of this entry »

Hard it is
To pierce that veil divine of various shows
Which hideth Me; yet they who worship Me
Pierce it and pass beyond.                        
Verse 14 Ch VII

Maya and Illusion
The word Maya is generally used to denote the divine veil. But the theory of Maya forms one of the pillars of the Gita. It means it has no absolute existence. It exists only in relation to my mind, to your mind and to the mind of everyone else. With every breath, every impulse of our heart asks us to be selfish. At the same time, there is some power beyond us which says that it is unselfishness alone which is good.

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Introduction
The Bhagavad-gita is the highest knowledge, the highest, most direct and clear knowledge ever revealed in the vast history of eternity. If you study it carefully and seriously apply its principles, you will become one of the happiest, most spiritually perfect beings that have ever existed. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, what your gender or age is, or what your occupation is. If you take it seriously, your success is guaranteed no matter how disqualified you consider yourself to be.

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Chanchalam hi manah krsna
pramaathi balavaddrdham
tasyaaham nigraham manye
vaayoriva sudushkaram.

The heart of men is unfixed, Krishna,
rash, tumultuous,willful and strong.
It were all one, I think,
To hold the wayward wind, as tame man’s heart.                       Verse 34 Ch VI

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The Law of Action
Lord Krishna states the general rule about the nature of action and its result in the famous verse 47 of Chapter II:
“But thou, want not! Ask not! Find full reward
Of doing right in right! Let right deeds be
Thy motive, not the fruit which comes from them.” 

With discriminative intellect, you can choose, plan and perform an action with a view to obtaining a desired result, but you have no choice in determining the result of the action. Innumerable factors go into determining the result and we do not have the knowledge of all of them. An archer can release an arrow at his target based on his judgment but he cannot be certain whether the arrow will definitely hit the target. Once the arrow is released, its flight is governed by the laws of nature and factors such as wind and velocity. The archer can estimate these factors but cannot control them.

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Who is a Yogi?
“He who is able, while still here (in this world) to withstand, before the liberation from the body (death), the impulse born out of desire and anger, he is a YOGIN, he is a happy man.”
Verse 23 Ch V

“The blessed Lord said: He who performs his duty without depending on the fruits of his actions - he is a sannyasi and a yogi, not he who is without (ritual) fire and without activity. Do thou, Oh Arjuna, know yoga to be that which they call renunciation. No one verily becomes a yogi who has not renounced thoughts, scheming or planning.”
Verse 1 and 2, Ch VI

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